Sans Cerebration

Halloween
Tomorrow is Halloween and I'm going to be stuck at F-Off all day and night. Well at least it's not Christmas.

Damn cars
I think I may have just spent $300 on a new radiator for my car when a $9 temp sensor may be the culprit. I hate when that happens.

Go Pats!
Went with friends, to the Patriots' season opener last. Can't say it was a great game but it was certainly a great win! The Patriots looked a little flat for most of the game even though they were statistically beating the Bill, the score showed otherwise. However Brady went into the hurry-up offense with less than five minute left and with the help of the kicking team, was able to score two touch downs to beat the Bills by one point. The stadium went nuts. You would have thought we won the Super Bowl!

I almost didn't make the game. I got off work and headed straight there at 5:30. Traffic was moving right along until I hit route 1 where everything just stopped. To make things worse, my car's radiator went and it started overheating. It got so bad that I had to pull off the road and luckily, found some water. The 13 mile drive from Canton to Foxboro took two hours! I missed most of the first quarter.

Coming home after the game, I got stuck in the traffic and again the car overheated. I got off Rt 1 and was able to take the back roads around the stadium. Once the car is moving, the air cools the engine enough to drive. I'll have to remember where I got off (Pine St) becasue I was actually able to get to Rt 95 quicker than if I had stayed on Rt 1.

Now I'm at work and tired but its a good tired.

Thursday
I felt like playing hooky today but it's a good thing that I didn't becasue someone else in the group decided to take the day off.

I'm in another funk today. I think I'm missing the kids and feeling left behind. They're off on this great adventure and I'm stuck here in my rut.

Last night I fixed the dryer. The heating element went on it so I ordered a new one. It wasn't a big deal but it gave me a small feeling of accomplishment and saved us a service call.

More Melancholy
Feeling a little melancholy again today. Alex will be leaving in three days. Our babies are learning to fly.

Life is passing by so fast. There's no stopping it and no going back. I'm so envious of the kids and regretful for not going off to college when I had the chance. The Marine Corps was a unique experience, so I do have that but I have a feeling that college life would have been a blast. "Youth is wasted on the young."

I'm sitting here at work trying to see the computer screen. I have to wear my glasses more and more often lately. I'm getting older faster and I don't like it.

A beautiful young woman just said "Good morning" to me, so that was nice.

Bitter-sweet
Feeling a little down today. Still dealing with Sam being all grown up and off to college. Alex will gone gone this weekend and the house will be empty except for the huge dog laying on the couch.

Once we get Alex sent off, I'll move the weights back into the playroom and start working out. This time for sure. I can't put this off any longer.

It's also time to clean out the house of all the crap that has accumulated over the years.

I have a lot to do.

Being Me is Easy
I was just reading the journal of a fellow Kinkoids member who happens to be a Middle Eastern and Muslim. In it, he writes about being hated. That is an experience that I will (fortunately) never be able to fully understand. I may have been hated at one time or another for a wrong I may have personally committed upon another but not because of the way I look or what I believe. I keep trying to tell myself that America is still the greatest country in the world but we have such a long, long way to go.

Tired
Last night I had one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. At around 3:30 AM, I suddenly awoke to find myself choking on my own vomit (and no, I wasn't drinking). Man, that was awful! WTF?

This morning I really feel my age (and weight). I think my physical condition is now becoming a detriment. I have to take these things as serious warning signs.

Friday
Facebook is taking me away from my journal. Time for an update.

Yesterday I had to spend over $900 in auto repairs. My car isn't worth much but it's still a good car, gets great gas mileage and still looks OK. I still need to replace all the tires by October to pass inspection.

I'll be getting a raise this month but this just put a big hit on that. Guess I'll still be at F-Off for sometime to come.

Got in the pool last evening to do some vacuuming and cleaning. The water was warm but refreshing. Had a beer while I was at it and Kato was up on the deck. I couldn't get him to jump in though.

Was on-call Sunday and got three call, all of which resolved themselves. That extra money will come in handy s it always does.

The kids will be off to school soon. I'll miss them.

The company picnic was fantastic, as usual. Had two lobsters and lots more other food and drink.

I need a plan to get the house finances straighten out. We've been in debt for way too long.

Deep Thoughts (not really)
Facebook is taking me away from my journal. Time for an update.

Yesterday I had to spend over $900 in auto repairs. My car isn't worth much but it's still a good car, gets great gas mileage and still looks OK. I still need to replace all the tires by October to pass inspection.

I'll be getting a raise this month but this just put a big hit on that. Guess I'll still be at F-Off for sometime to come.

Got in the pool last evening to do some vacuuming and cleaning. The water was warm but refeshing. Had a beer while I was at it and Kato was up on the deck. I couldn't get him to jump in though.

Was on-call Sunday and got three call, all of which resolved themselves. That extra money will come in handy s it always does.

The kids will be off to school soon. I'll miss them.

The company picnic was fantastic, as usual. Had two lobsters and lots more other food and drink.

I need a plan to get the house finances straighten out. We've been in debt for way too long.

Thursday
Today, I'm in a very melancholy mood. I was up last night to hear WBCN go off the air. The last song played was Pink Floyd's "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". WBCN was a big part of my life since I was ten years old and now it's gone, "Times, They are a Changing". I suppose most non-talk radio will be gone soon. I was scanning the dial this morning for a possible replacement and I may give WUMB a try but most of what is on is crap which is what BCN was turning into at the end. Might be time for me to get an iPod.

In less than a month, both kids will be off to college and the house will only have old people in it. Even Kato is getting up there, He'll be seven, which is old for a dog his size.

Time is going by and things are changing too fast. It's not that I want thing to stay the same, just to slow down a little. I'll miss my kids.

Tomorrow is my review. Best case scenario would be a $4800 increase. Expected, would be $3600. $2400 would suck but is certainly a possiblity in today's economy.

The company picnic is this Sunday, which means food, food and more food.

Patriots preseason starts tonight!

Monday
Am I just old or is it really a shame that WBCN has run it's course and the corporate parent company (CBS) has killed it. I suppose it's just the way things go.

Thursday
Got a good, uninterupted, night's sleep and feel great today. It is a beautiful day and was hard to not play hooky.

Went to the Mayhem Fest with Alex on Tuesday. Some serious Metal bands topped off with Marilyn Manson. I was pissed at myself because I brought my camera with a brand new 8gb memory card without testing it first. I went to take a picture and got an error. Damn! There were so many great images. I should have known better.

The show was an all day event starting at 2:30 going on until 11:00. The early acts performed on the secondary stages out in the sun. Then we got something to eat and moved under the pavilion at 6:30. We apparently missed "Mushroom Head" but did get to see "Bullet for My Valentine" to start off the main stage bands.

Slayer and MM were the headliners. Slayer was heavy on the metal guitars while MM was more theatrical. Both put a good performances but my main reason for going was to see MM (just because I think he's interesting). It was on my list of things to do.

Again, as before, I'm reminded of just how old and out of shape I am. My feet were killing me by the end of the night. I really have to do something before it is too late.

Vacation
This vacation has been more work than work. Monday wa fun, went to see Green Day. Wednesday I took a day to do nothing but every other moment has been working to get ready for Sam's party. Here it is Saturday night and there is still a bunch of stuff to do we should be all set by the time people start arriving.

The biggest job was getting the pool open. Man, there was so much crap on the cover and in the pool. The cover was the worst. I had to hand scoop buckets of sludge out of it before I could lift it over the edge.

I never thought I'd be happy to get back to work but that will be a rest compared to this week.

Update: Monday July 20, 2009
Alex is at the UMass orientation. We just applied for his loan so as soon as his finances are confirmed, he should be all set.

I'm one hour away from vacation. Once I finish this on-call, I'm off for the week (including Saturday). Most of this time will be spent getting the house and yard ready for Sam's graduation party. She is just biding her time until September.

Lori and I are going to see Green Day at the Garden tonight. Old people rocking.

Forty years ago today, men walked on the moon. Today, we are still driving internal combustion engine automobiles on overcrowded obsolete highways. Why have we stopped progressing?

Health
I really have to get serious about my health. I am reasonably healthy for an overweight fifty year old man but I'm certainly feeling the effects of aging. If I expect to stay at least reasonably healthy, I'm going to have to work at it.

Tonight I will take that ever important first step and hit the weights when I get home from work.

Back to Work
The 4th of July weekend was very nice. Perfect weather and three whole days off!

Friday, took Kato and the camera down the beach to see the fireworks.

Saturday, went to Lowes and cleaned the house.

Sunday, to Kato into Boston to walk around.

Doesn't sound like much but the fact that I wasn't working made it a great weekend.

Independence Day
A friend’s post about a Patriotic Memory inspired me to post this. I remember being in Germany talking with some of the locals and the conversation started to get a little political when one of the Germans made a comment about how much he admired Jimmy Carter to which another Marine replied, “Eh, Carter sucks.” Judging by the look on our new German friend’s faces, they weren’t very accustomed to, or comfortable with members of the military making disparaging loudly and openly about their commander-in-chief.

I love that we can (not that we do) take our freedoms for granted and we owe that to our Constitution. So whatever side of the hot-button issues you are on remember to always “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Wednesday
Two days to go before my three day weekend! I need to think of some good things to do. On Friday we'll have the bonfires and fireworks on the beach. That leaves Saturday and Sunday for other stuff. What to do?

Three Days...
...of work until the Forth of July weekend and I will have three days off! I am so looking forward to this weekend. Finally a holiday falls on a Saturday and I get it off from F-Off. Plus I get Friday off from the good job.

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